Combined photographic cassette and viewing device



I. W. DOYLE Feb. 6, 1968 COMBINED PHOTOGRAPHIC CASSETTE AND VIEWINGDEVICE Filed Oct. 24, 1965 FIG-,5-

United States Patent Ofifice 3,3fi7,fi Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,367,050COMBINED PHOTSGRAPHIC CASSETTE AND VEEWING DEVICE Irving W. Doyle,Massapequa, N.Y., assignor to Fairchild (Iamera and Instrumentfiorporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 24, 1965, Ser. No.504,683 Claims. (Cl. 4il86) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A combinationprocessed-film container and viewing device for allowing processedaerial films or the like to be dropped from aircraft to groundpersonnel, and promptly viewed by facilities included in the device. Asplit cylindrical container includes a shaft for rolling processed film,and a second shaft stowed in the device permits rolling and re-rollingof film between the opened container halves and over an illuminatedlight-table formed of a plastic sheet supported on tilt-up arms of thecontainer halves.

This invention pertains to photography, and more particularly to acombined container and viewing device for photographic materials. Whilethe apparatus of the invention is of more general application, it hasspecial utility in connection with the quick inspection of films thathave been processed in aircraft and then ejected for retrieval by groundpersonnel.

Various kinds of rapid film processing have made it possible for aerialreconnaissance photographs and similar material to be made available forviewing while the aircraft is still in flight; indeed, very shortlyafter the film has been exposed. While such pictures are often ofimmediate use to those in the aircraft, there are also many situationsin which it would be desirable for the pictures to be delivered veryquickly to ground positions or personnel. Since time is often of theessence in those situations, it is desirable that the processed filmmaterial be available for viewing with a minimum of handling, rewinding,and similar operations.

It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide acontainer into which processed photographic film can be wound up, forexample as it issues direct from a rapid processor, said container beingconvertible in the hands of a recipient to provide an immediate viewingfacility in the nature of an illuminated light table.

A further object is to provide a container of the above type into whichfilm or the like may be wound directly as it issues from the filmprocessor, and which container, when opened up, will provide for rollingand re-rolling the film between two rollers or spindles, across anilluminated inspection table.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a film container asabove in which all of the components needed for the conversion of thedevice to a viewing apparatus are housed in the container itself, forprompt utilization by properly-instructed persons.

In general, the above and other objects and advantages of the inventionare attained by a container design comprising two generallysemi-cylindrical container halves, hinged together so that when closedupon one another, they define a cylindrical cassette; complete with anentrance slot through which processed film can enter and be spooled, orrolled up on a spindle, by means of power applied to an external gear orsprocket wheel connected thereto. A second spindle or shaft is removablystowed inside the first (hollow) spindle, and a transparent ortranslucent flexible sheet is removably held in one of the containerhalves in a curved condition along the inner wall so as not to interferewith the spooling of film into the closed cassette. The respectivecontainer halves are also provided with folding support arms which, whenswung to operative positions after the container halves have been openedup by a ISO-degree relative hinged rotation thereof, will receive andsupport the light transmitting sheet so as to act as a table for filmreeled from one of the container halves to the other. Built-in provisionfor transillumination of the film where it crosses the inspection tableincludes one or more miniature electric lamps and reflecting means,disposed along or adjacent the common hinge axis of the containersections.

The invention will now be described in detail in connection with apreferred construction given by way of example, rererence being made tothe appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of the combined cassette and viewing device, inclosed condition.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is an end view, looking in the same direction as FIG. 1, but withthe container halves swung apart and the light table properly supportedfor film inspection purposes.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view to a larger scale, and partly broken away,illustrating the telescoped spooling spindle and film windingarrangements; the section plane being indicated generally by line 4- inFIG. 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings show the device in closed condition, therespective semi-cylindrical container sections 10 and 12, hingedtogether as at 14-, being held shut as by spring latches l6 and 13,secured at one end of one of the container halves and apertured at theirother ends to engage pins on the opposite container halves. Eachcontainer section is preferably provided with a flattened boss portion20, these forming support feet for the container sections when they havebeen opened up to the FIG. 3 condition.

Within one of the container sections a sheet of flexible but semi-rigidlight-transmitting material 22, such as heavy-gauge cellulose acetate,preferably with a matte finish is stowed between clip formations 24, 26which are preferably integral with the inner wall of the containersection. Sheet 22 has one major dimension as great as can beaccommodated between the end walls of the container, the other majordimension being so related to the positions of clips 24 and 26 that,when inserted between them, the plastic sheet will be bowed to lie alongthe inner semicylindrical wall of the container section. The sheet 22 isthus kept out of the way as processed film is spooled into the cassette;for example, through an access slot 28 located between closure clips 16and lid.

The film being reeled into the cassette is rolled up around a spindle 39journaled between disc-like bosses 32, 34 formed integral with the endwalls of one container section 12 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). At one end,spindle 3b is fastened to an external sprocket wheel 36 adapted to bepower driven, if desired, from the rapid film processing machine, by aconventional drive connected as indicated in dash lines at 38 in FIG. 4.

At the opposite end of spindle 30 from sprocket 36, it has securedthereto a preferably knurled operating knob 40. Spindle 30 is actually ahollow tube, which normally receives telescopically therein a secondspindle 42 which may be a smaller diameter tube or shaft whose endpassing beyond the open end of spindle 30 (at the sprocket wheel 36) isthreaded to receive a retaining nut 44, of special characteristic to bedescribed below. The opposite end of inner spindle 42 has securedthereto a knurled operating knob 46, conveniently having areduced-diameter skirt portion 48 sized to fit inside a hollowed-outrecess of knob 40. Both spindles are provided with clips or like knownarrangements to allow film ends to be secured thereto.

The problem of providing an arrangement which will operate as a singlespindle for winding film when the container sections are closed (as inFIG. 1), but providing a second spindle for use when the containersections have been opened up (as in FIG. 3), and providing convenientstorage for the second spindle, is solved by the arrangement described.In order that the complementary container sections and 12 may closefully upon one another, as in FIG. 1, the cylindrical bosses 32 and 34are made integral with one of the casing sections; in particular, casingsection 12 in the embodiment shown. The opposite section, it must havesemicircular cut-outs to accommodate these bosses when the apparatus isclosed up. Also, either the diameter of the semicircular cut-outs mustbe the same as the outer diameter of bosses 32 and 34, or of any groovedarrangement in those bosses which might be provided for additionalcontainer strength in its closed condition. In any case, the hollowsemicircular cut-outs would not be of proper size nor otherwise suitableas journals or bearing elements to receive the second winding spindle 42when the latter has been removed from its stowed position within spindle30.

Accordingly, both the retaining nut 44 and the knob skirt 48 (FIG. 4)are given an outer diameter greater than that of the semicircularcutouts in section 10, and each is provided with a peripheral groovesuch as indicated at 50 and 52, these grooves being sized to fit snuglyin the cutouts of section 10 when the container has been opened out tothe FIG. 3 position.

Hingedly secured on the inner surface of each of the end faces of bothof sections 1% and 12 are the arms 54 of respective viewing panelsupport rods 56. Arms 54 are pivoted at their ends nearer the containercenter, as at 58, and are of such length that crossrods 56 will liealong opposite sides of the film entry path (at slot 28, FIG. 2) whenthe container is closed. So located, the rods are near the periphery ofthe interior space of the container (just as is stowed panel 22) andhence do not interfere with the winding of a considerable length of filminto the container. Auxiliary panel-support arms 6'!) are hinged aboutthe pintle of easing hinge 14, and also lie along the inner faces ofboth end walls of the container sections. At least the latter supportarms, and preferably all such arms, are provided with friction means attheir pivotal support points.

A source of viewing illumination is provided as by a row of tinyelectric lamps 64 (or a linear filament lamp) suitably mounted alongsideof hinge arrangement 14 on one of the inner casing section margins, asindicated in FIG. 3. Conventional circuit connectors and an externalbattery (or a long thin battery inside hinge 14) provide power forilluminating film traversed over plastic panel 22 from one spindle tothe other. The extreme edges of the panel may have adjacent sections cutand plastically deformed to provide fingers adapted to snap over thecrossrods 56 of arms 54. Thus, as shown in PEG. 3, the bails formed byarms 54 and rods 56 are, of course, swung up to the FIG. 3 position whenthe casing sections have been unfolded, and the rods 56 connectedtogether by the panel 22. Arms 60 are then swung up from within thecasing sections to provide auxiliary intermediate supports for the edgesof the plastic panel 22. If necessitated by the dimensions of theapparatus, arms 60 may be of telescopic or knuckle-jointed construction,as suggested at 66, to

attain the proper length while remaining foldable within,

the confines of the complete container.

The operation of the invention will be largely obvious on its knob 46(FIG. 4). The nut 44 is then rethreaded upon spindle 42, which isthreaded for a sufficient length that, when nut 44 is jammed to itslimit of inward threading motion, the grooves 50 and 52 can be fittedagainst the edges of the semicircular cutouts of the end walls ofsection 10. The end of the film wound on outer spindle 3th, in containersection 12, can now be guided upward as at arrow 66 in FIG. 3, thenceover table panel 22, and down into section 10 where it is connected withthe second spindle -42. Ultimately, as film is wound across the viewingtable 22, a reel thereof as large as indicated at 68 (at the left inFIG. 3) may have been viewed. Any desired rewinding is readilyaccomplished by manipulation of knob 40 connected to outer spindle 30.

It is common to secure the ends of films (or leader sections) tospindles by threading them through slots in the latter. In the presentcase, the provision of telescoped spindles (42 within 30) makes itpreferable to provide a spring clip 68 (FIG. 4) for the outer spindle 30to avoid conflict with the inner spindle. The latter may be slotted asat 70 for film-end securement, since it is used only after removal fromthe larger spindle.

The end of inner spindle 42 which must be passed through spindle 39 whenthe former is stowed therein, may conveniently be made solid as at 72 bya plug, to provide a more solid member for threading into nut 44. Ifremovable, plug 72 then allows the hollow spindle 42 to be used forstowing the battery intended for powering lamps 64.

While the invention has been described above in connection with aparticular physical embodiment, various modifications will occur tothose skilled in the art, and it is not intended to exclude suchvariations from the true scope of the invention, except as may berequired by the language of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic fim-handling device convertible from a form usefulprimarily as a film-protective container to an alternate form providingfilm feeding and viewing utility, comprising:

(a) a pair of shells providing when closed upon one another a filmcassette,

(b) a reeling spindle journaled in one of said shells to receive thereonfilm entering said cassette,

(0) a light-transmitting film-inspection support sheet stowed in one ofsaid shells,

(d) and support arms mounted for movement to positions exterior of saidshells when the latter have been opened up, said arms receiving andsupporting said support sheet.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, including a second spindlestowed within said first-mentioned spindle and removable therefrom foruse as a winding spool in the other of said shells when they are intheir opened condition.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, and illuminating means carriedby at least-one of said shells for illuminating film lying over saidsupport sheet.

4. A photographic film-handling device convertible from a form usefulprimarily as a film-protective container to an alternate form providingfilm feeding and viewing utility, comprising:

(a) a pair of generally similarrigid shells each having one open faceand hinged to one another so as to provide, when closed one upon theother, a film cassette,

5 6 (b) a reeling spindle journaled in one of said shells to ReferencesCited receive thereon film entering said cassette, UNITED STATES PATENTS(c) a light-transmitting film-inspection support sheet removably stowedin one of said shells adjacent an 1443538 1/1923 Bloomfield et a1 40 86interior wanthereof, 5 2,464,673 3/1949 Debne 24271.2 (d) and supportarms hingeclly mounted within both 3,104,846 9/1963 Rmgle 242 71-1 saidshells for movement to positions exterior of FO EIGN PA said shells Whenthe latter have been opened up 725,963 10/1942 Germany.

through a relative angle of 180 degrees about their hinged connection,said arms in their out-folded 10 EUGENER CAPOZIO Primary Examinerpositions receiving and supporting said support heet WILLIAM H. GRIEB,Examiner.

